


the best pizza in new york

by hannahgallivan



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: ace nini bc me too, domestic rini bc obviously, nyc bc also obviously, this is my first fic im nervoussss, u can vv much tell that i’ve never been kissed ahaha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:42:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28735929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahgallivan/pseuds/hannahgallivan
Summary: a cute lil fic about ricky and nini living together in nyc while also trying to find the best pizza in the city
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	the best pizza in new york

**Author's Note:**

> ahhh hello beautiful AO3 readers!! this is my very first fic ever so please be nice:)) this might be crappy but it’s my ideal rini situation so just go w it:) n e ways i hope you like it!

WINTER

nini had to admit, living with a cute boy in new york city who also happens to be your boyfriend is pretty rom-com like. she’d met ricky the first day of kindergarten. they immediately hit it off and became best friends and eventually started dating in high school. she loves days like today, when the snow makes everything look magical and the weight of ricky’s arm wrapped protectively around her as he slept. she gives feather light kisses to his face to wake him up (or, more accurately, lightly slaps him with a pillow.) he rubs his eyes and grins up at her, saying “waking up to you is the best,” and she slaps him lightly so he can’t see the blush that creeps up her cheeks. he makes them eggs benedict because it’s a saturday morning tradition and he’s the infinitely better cook, and they decide to pick out a small tree for their even smaller apartment. when they find “the one,” ricky cuts it down and nini smiles softly at him, because this moment. they get it inside and start decorating while listening to the charlie brown christmas album, because both ricky and nini listened to it when they were younger and also some good old taylor (because let’s be honest, what’s christmas without her), and ricky says “god, ni, is there a day where you don’t listen to her?” but she knows he secretly mouths the words when he thinks she’s not looking, and this moment. after, they grab pizza, and even though it’s new york city, basically the pizza capital of the united states, this pizza..sucks. too raw, cheese not melty enough, just subpar. they’re both disappointed, and vow to go on a quest to find the best pizza in new york. meanwhile, they skate at rockefeller center (“we’re allowed to be tourist-y, ricky!”) and he holds her hands and spins her around, crooning off-key john legend into her ear, and this moment. christmas comes before they know it, and they watch all the classics and make gourmet hot cocoa with homemade whipped cream on top, and when nini gets some on her nose he just smiles impishly and kisses it off. they mail their respective presents to their families. in the morning nini wakes up to ricky jumping on the bed, because he’s not enough of a child already, but she just smiles and says, “merry christmas, ricky,” before getting up and kissing him. his hands slide up under her shirt and she fists his curls, and when they pull away, they stay there, wrapped in a tight embrace and the feeling of being home, and nini thinks out of all the presents she’s wrapped already, this one is the best. ricky gives her a new ukulele and tickets to a TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT because of course, he knows her so well. she gives him a new customized skateboard with the two of them painted on it, and he just stares at it for so long that she thinks she did something wrong, until he finally speaks, his eyes glassy and reminiscent of their childhood, and says, “i love you.” she holds in a silent gasp because wow, this is the first time he’s said it, and it’s so impossibly perfect that she might cry. without hesitation she responds “i love you too,” and he kisses her like his life depends on it, and she reciprocates just as passionately, in a tangle of limbs and wrapping paper and the feeling that she’s found the one. 

SPRING  
ricky decides that he wants to be a music teacher, and when he gets the job offer, he looks to her, as if asking permission, and nini takes one, two, three steps and hugs him hard, whispering, “i’m so proud of you.” they have a celebratory dance party in sock-clad feet, waltzing to norah jones and screaming the lyrics to style, and ricky says, “i want to be like this forever,” and she stops for a minute before answering, “forever with you, ricky bowen,” and kissing him. they order pizza from another place, still not the best. ricky sees her disappointment written across her face and says “there’s still time nins.” when she applies for a job at a record store called the right note, he grins big at her, saying, “remember i think i kinda ya know?” “what a journey,” she says. “i still do, by the way.” he grins even bigger at that. days are soon full and busy, but they both love sitting down at the end of the night at their bright yellow table and talking about their days. ricky with constant stories about his students, junie getting so good at bass and sam rocking the drum kit, nini with stories of the people that come into the store, and how she feels like she learns a little bit about everyone by what records they buy. she goes to ricky’s school concert knowing all the stories, but isn’t prepared when they do the best version of seven nation army she’s ever heard, and when he sidles up to her in the lobby later that night, he just says, “i told them it was your favorite,” and grins. when nini gets to play her original songs at an open mic one night, ricky comes and she surprises him, saying, “this is called gross, and i wrote it about my best friend ricky in high school.” when she’s done, she runs up to him, eyes bright, and kisses him quickly, saying, “i do.” he looks up, confused. “i like you so much it’s kinda gross,” she clarifies. “i love you.” “i love you too,” ricky replies. it’s the easiest thing in the world, telling his girl his loves her. they go out for pizza yet again, trying and failing to find the best out of this world of pizza. “we’ve got time,” she reminds him. “we’ve got forever, because we’re soulmates.”

SUMMER

nini realizes that they’ve been dating for four years now, and she still hasn’t told ricky she’s asexual. it’s not that she thinks he’ll be mad, but she’s just scared in general about his reaction. i know, it sounds bad, four years and she STILL hasn’t told him, but cut her a little slack, okay? when they kiss, she enjoys it, but it’s usually mostly closed-mouth, and ricky never seems to mind. today, she thinks. today i’m going to tell him. she grabs her white, purple, black and grey bracelet off the dresser and goes into their bedroom. “hey, ricky?” she asks softly, “um, can we talk?” his head snaps up to meet her gaze and he says, “of course. what’s up?” nini hesitates, looking down at the floor. “well, you know how we’ve never discussed sex before? and when we kiss it’s closed-mouth?” “yeah,” he answers, waiting for her to elaborate. “so, um, it’s because i think i’m...asexual.” she quickly drops her gaze again, feeling her eyes start to fill. “i’m sorry i never told you, i know i should have, i was just scared about what you’d say, and i know that’s stupid but-“ ricky steps toward her, grabbing both of her hands. “ni,” he says softly, “it’s okay.” “really? you’re not turned off or anything?” she asks, peeking up at him. “of course not. as long as i get to be with you, i’m happy,” he answers, looking earnestly up at her. he notices the bracelet on her wrist. “hey, what’s this?” “oh, that’s my ace bracelet. these colors are on the asexual flag.” “cool,” he says, smiling at her. she melts into him, reveling in his warmth and comfort. “i love you so much,” ricky whispers. “ditto,” she answers, grinning at him. they soon trade their long sleeves for t shirts and shorts, and spend lazy days eating ice cream cones and walking in the park. they still haven’t given up their ‘best pizza in new york’ quest, trying almost every pizza place and still not finding the best. we have time, nini reminds herself. they watch the entirety of the avengers movies, and they both cry when the characters turn to dust, and again when iron man dies. they reflect on their lives together, trading stories like that time when ricky, nini and big red had a lemonade stand on the street and made $500, or remember when ricky microwaved nini’s barbie in third grade and they had a huge argument? they also both think about their futures, and both are sure that they involve the other. one night, they grab yet another pizza, take a bite, and both say, “we’re close!” and dance around like it’s the best thing in the world. 

FALL

ricky goes back to school for another year with his students, nini at the record store, learning a little piece of someone every time they buy a record. ever since nini came out, ricky doesn’t pressure her. he doesn’t ask, “are you ready yet?” he’s just happy to be with her and support her. nini appreciates it more than he knows, like when they plan to go to this year’s pride parade or when he secretly buys an ace flag and hangs it in their window, and when nini sees it she lets out a sob and launches herself at ricky, hugging him hard. “thank you,” she whispers into his shoulder. “i love you ni, and i will always support you,” he replies. she doesn’t deserve him. he’s everything good in life. they grab the sweaters out of bins tucked upstairs and nini insists on “pumpkin spice latte days,” as she calls them, where they drop everything and get a PSL at the nearby starbucks. ricky climbs the trees at the apple orchard before while nini watches from below, until her kid-ness gets the better of her and she’s scrambling up the tree after him. they watch the action from above, nestled next to each other in this majestic tree, and she kisses him in the safety of the branches because “god, ricky, there are kids down there!” and everything inside her feels like the sun rising in her chest. 

at some point nini decides she’s the one who’s going to propose to ricky (because f*ck gender roles!) and immediately texts kourtney, ashlyn, big red, ej and gina and tells them her plan. she’s going to have a picnic in the park with what she hopes is (finally!) the best pizza in new york. she does a quick google search and finds exactly what she needs. “ricky! come on, i’m taking you to the park!” he pokes his head out of their room, confused. “what? why?” he asks. “don’t ask questions, it’s a surprise,” she replies. she leads him to a grassy spot and lays down a blanket and a pizza box, along with some cupcakes. “i think i’ve found it. the best pizza in new york,” she says. “oh?” he questions. “yeah. and i also found you. ricky, from the moment i met you, i knew i wanted to be your friend, and then i knew i wanted to be your girlfriend. you’ve constantly supported me through everything, and you’re everything that’s good in life. i really really want to spend the rest of my life with you.” he looks at her, his eyes shiny. “i’m the one doing this because f*ck gender roles, but will you marry me?” he just sits there, looking at her. finally, with tears spilling freely from his eyes, he says, simply: “yes.” she embraces him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. he tips her chin up to kiss her, and she knows she found both the best pizza in new york and the best boy, too.


End file.
